Page 35 of Keep Me Never
Unable to hold in a chuckle, I take that bet, unsure why they would assume so.
It all becomes clear when I plug in my phone, and about ten minutes later, it powers on and my messages from this morning come through.
The boys’ heads snap my way, and I give them a strange look, but then I look down and it’s Chase’s name that’s on the screen, a message from early this morning.
“Who is it from?”
“What’s it say?”
“Oh my god, you guys,” Ari laughs.
I open the message.
Chase: thank you for yesterday. I’m not sure I could have played how I did if it weren’t for you, so here goes nothing
I smile at the three little clap emoji that follow, and then my heart drops into my stomach as I read the last line.
Chase: I’m grateful for you, Paige, maybe even a little more than a friend should be.
Butterflies erupt in my belly, and I curl my toes in my sandals.
I don’t know what this means, but I know why he left. He thought I’d gotten his message and chose not to respond, realizing the moment before he walked out that he was wrong.
I’m not sure what to say, to be honest, or if I’m reading too much into something that isn’t there, so I just go with my gut.
Me: Say you’ll come on Tuesday.
I clench my phone, and I swear I hear the chirp of a message received coming from the other side of the front door, as if he’s still standing out there, waiting to see if I respond, but I can’t say for sure. My phone beeps in my palm a moment later.
Chase: I’ll wear blue.
My mouth curves, a low laugh leaving me. I reach into my purse and pull out a twenty, tossing it in Brady’s lap.
He looks down and then he throws his head back with a laugh.
Tuesday can’t come fast enough.
CHAPTER TEN
Chase
“Stop fucking fidgeting. You’re making me nervous.” Brady glares.
I scoff. “What the hell do you have to be nervous about?”
“What the hell doyouhave to be nervous about?”
My head snaps forward in straight-up avoidance.
“Bro, just tell us what the message said.”
I catch Mason’s grin in my peripheral. “Shut up.”
“If you tell us, we’ll tell you what she told us after she read it…”
My eyes yank his way so fast, and instantly, both of my asshole best friends start laughing, perceptive grins on their faces. I’m not sure why I’m so easily baited when I know Paige didn’t put me on blast. She’s not the type.
Am Ihertype?
